


The Mark

by Mirthe



Category: None - Fandom
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Good and Evil, Magic, Mystery, War
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-06-08
Updated: 2017-06-08
Packaged: 2018-11-11 09:37:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,254
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11145783
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mirthe/pseuds/Mirthe
Summary: What happens if Good fights Evil, and it doesn’t go as it should have? What happens if those destined to win the war weren’t ready for it?What happens if Evil wins?As there is no prophecy to be fulfilled anymore – since all Prophecers got killed, their wisdom dying with them – there is no telling what will happen. There is no rhyme for the people to cling on to, no rumours about ‘The Chosen One’ that might bring them hope. Most people have accepted their fate by now. People keep their head down, no matter what ‘Mark of Destiny’ one has. As long as it’s something simple, it’s relatively easy to deny one’s own fate.Now meet Maya. She lives in a world where Good lost the war on Evil centuries ago, in a small village named Colkirk. Her story begins far from the centre of the kingdom, where the Queen’s influence is merely there in the form of high taxes and guards who take whatever – or whomever – they want.Maya finds that denying her fate won’t be as easy. Her mark is something new, something unknown, which means she only has one choice left before the guards find out: Run.





	The Mark

_Staring in the flames, I thought back to what had caused all of this. The day it all broke apart. I should have known life had been too easy for me so far. I should have prepared myself more for the possibility of this to happen. I didn’t though, and here I was. Hungry, cold, and alone, with no idea how to fend for myself. I sighed._  
_It had been a soft summers eve, only about a week ago. Had it really not been any longer? To me it felt like years had passed._

_It had been a busy one as always, and extra tiresome, as one of the sheep had gotten loose and my sister Jenna and I had been busy running after it till late in the evening._

_At the time, I had just gotten back from checking on the horses with my youngest sister Maryleen, when I had suddenly felt it. Closing my eyes I pictured my house. Pictured Maryleen, with her blonde curls. I pictured the soft breeze and the smell of the horses and freshly cooked dinner… for just a moment, it was as if I was back again._

_“Mother!” Maryleen had yelped. “Something is wrong with Maya!”_

I saw my mother walk toward me as I leaned on the doorframe. A sharp pain had just started in my lower arm, as if something was piercing itself through my flesh, cutting it, burning it. “I’m fine, don’t worry abou-“

I gasped as I felt the pain start again. It started in my lower arm but would then fade out all the way towards my shoulder, even though my back. Also, I was getting sweaty, and my right arm was feeling limp by now. I bit my lip as I tried to take a step forward, my whole torso feeling as if it was on fire. “I’m fine,” I brought out again, as my vision started to blur. “Really I’m just-“

My legs gave out without any warning, and my mother rushed the last few steps to catch me. I heard someone yelp – was that me? – and everything went black. When I opened my eyes again I was laying in my mother’s bed.

“What happened?” I mumbled, licking my lips. My throat felt dry, I was still feeling wet and as my vision became clearer I saw one of my sisters sitting on the side of the bed, a frown on her face and a damp cloth in her hands. “Stop looking so serious, Jane. I’m fine.” I tried to crack a smile and sit up but she quickly pushed me down again, as Maryleen pushed a greasy glass filled with water in my hands. “Thanks, but I don’t need you guys to take care of me, really,” I muttered. “I should be taking care of you right now.” I was the oldest one in the family, after mum. It was my job to help her.

I tried to stand up, but Jane’s hand softly guided me back in bed, still wearing her frown. She was always so serious, that girl. It worried me. She wasn’t even the oldest one after me, but sometimes she seemed to be more grown up and mature than myself. 

I had three sisters. Sarina was the second oldest one, then came Jane, then Maryleen. Maryleen also had a twin brother, Braylen.

“Where’s mum?” I asked Jane.

“Right here,” I heard my mother say as she came into my vision. “How are you feeling?” she asked as she brushed a few hair strands out of my face. My two sisters walked outside, Jane still giving me worried glances over her shoulder.

“Peachy. Everything okay? How long was I out? I should probably go outside and help,” I said.

Mum gave me a look only she could give me, and I sank a bit deeper into the cushions, staring at my glass. “My arm is burning up for some reason, and my right hand barely has any strength.” I didn’t dare to hold the glass in just my right hand. I felt like I couldn’t trust my muscles. “Is this normal?” I looked up at her, hopeful. Was I finally joining the rest of the human race in being normal? Would I finally not be an outcast anymore? Being seventeen and still without a mark wasn’t something that usually happened. Her frown made me look down again quickly, the flicker of hope in my chest fading again.

“Not… That I know of,” she said slowly. “But that doesn’t mean it isn’t!” Her lips curled upwards in a smile that didn’t reach her eyes and I scoffed.

If anyone knew anything about a mark being normal or not, it’d be my mother. She was the caretaker in Colkirk, and always got called when someone was ill, giving birth or, most importantly, getting the mark. Like I was right now. I glanced at my wrist. She had seen many marks in her life time, and her frown and insecurity didn’t do much good for my own confidence.

“So it’s not,” I stated. Then I was silent for a moment. “Well, at least when the burning wears off I can admire the beauty of my calling which I will never experience.” The sarcasm in my voice couldn't have been more obvious.

“Maya,” she said in a hushed tone. “Don’t speak like that. You know the walls have ears.”

Of course the walls didn’t have ears. But the villagers did, and the walls were thin. Anyone walking by could hear whatever was being said inside if they listened closely. And listening was something everyone did.

I hated the gossip. I hated everyone acting so nice in each other’s face and then doing the exact opposite to everyone’s back. I hated the fake friendships, the need to impress, the desire to know everything bad there was to know about everyone in and around Colkirk.

We were only a small community, where nothing much really happened. Therefore, everything that happened was a way for people to entertain themselves. They were probably babbling right now about what was happening to me. No doubt someone had heard me yell and seen me fall, and they would be desperate as they were to be the first one to hear what was going on. Especially our neighbour was…-

“Maya, my darling!” I closed my eyes. Speak of the devil.

 “Hello there, Grea.” I smiled the fakest smile I could manage.

“My oh my, dear, what has gotten into you? I got worried as I didn’t see you outside with your brother and sisters. Have you fallen ill, love?” she gasped a tiny gasp and put her hand in front of her mouth. I rolled my eyes. She was so dramatic.

My mother, who was standing by with a soft look on her face, replied. “We are just fine, Grea, thank you for your concern.” She smiled kindly. “Maya had just gotten herself a bit overworked, that’s all.” 

I glanced at my mother. Why wasn’t she telling what was really happening? Did she fear my mark?

Grea gasped again as she clasped a hand in front of her mouth. “Well, that’s what happens if you keep these children on the land day after day. I think it’d be much better if she finally got herself a good man so she can get her own family to take care of. It’s not natural for her to still be here at home, a young woman of her age should-…”

“Yes, thank you for your concern Grea. If you don’t mind, Maya needs her rest right now,” mum cut her off. Her voice sounded kind as ever, but I saw the slight tremble of her hands. They always gave away how she really felt. 

I felt annoyed about how intrusive Grea was. Yeah, of course, I was of the right age to get my own children and family, but I was obviously not someone who would get married any time soon. I had never gotten much interest from any guy, in or around our village. Besides, my mother needed me here. That was way more important. Maybe I could get married once my siblings had grown up for a bit and they didn’t need my help here anymore. I swallowed to get rid of the lump forming in my throat. Who knows, right?

“Oh, but of course.” I dare say Grea looked almost disappointed there wasn’t anything more juicy going on. “Well, I’m glad you’re okay love.” She looked at me. “Take care dearie, okay? You don’t want to miss out on the festival next week of course! Only a couple more days till you will meet the man of your dreams, huh?” She winked at me.

I closed my eyes for a brief second before I opened them again and gave her a broad – but obviously very fake – smile. “Of course, Grea. Wouldn’t want to miss out on the Harvest Festival for the world! Counting the days!” I said sarcastically. Damn, I wish I was as good as my mother was in this kind of stuff. She could always get her composure together instantly, and be as kind as needed be in the situation. I looked at her as she - quickly but friendly – got rid of our nosy neighbour.

“Pfew, I thought she would never leave,” I said as she came back towards me.

“Maya.” I knew what she meant.

“Go outside Sarina,” she said to my sister who had been sitting in a corner. I hadn’t even noticed she was there. “Go see if you can help your sisters with something.” Sarina nodded and skipped outside as I followed her with my eyes. Of course _she_ had already gotten her own mark. A beautiful, simple heart. Her destiny had something to do with love. She would probably grow up to be a care take of some sorts, like our mother. It suited her. Delivering babies, taking care of the elderly, wounded and sick.. I looked back at my mother. I didn’t envy my sister, but I did kind of wish I could be more like her. More… normal.

“I hope it’s nothing too bad,” I said softly. My mother nodded and sat down next to me.

Slowly, I sat up straight as she unwrapped the bandage she had wound around my arm. As the cloth unravelled, we both gasped.

It wasn’t really anything spectacular, but it also wasn’t something I had seen on anyone before. It wasn’t something I could really place.

“What.. what is it, mum?” I asked softly. She just shook her head slowly. “What does it mean?” I asked, more pressingly.

“I… I don’t know. I don’t know what this one means.” We were both silent after that.

We might not know what the mark meant, but we did know what the consequences were. Everyone got their mark when they were around 15 years old. The mark they got would show their destiny, would show what they were meant to do in their lifetime. What their purpose was.

Although people weren’t free to follow their destiny anymore, as they had once been, your mark could still decide your fate: if the mark you got wasn’t something anyone could really place, it meant it was something dangerous. It meant it was something that had been forbidden. And people with a forbidden mark were hunted down. Sold to the queen’s guard as slaves to proof the villagers’ loyalty.

Giving up someone with a forbidden mark was a small sacrifice to make if it meant the soldiers would leave the rest alone for another while.

 We looked at each other. It was a situation we both had been afraid of, and both had been trying to avoid talking about. I knew I should have expected it though. No one went without a mark till they were my age. No one screamed and fainted while getting their mark either. And no one had gotten a dangerous mark in Colkirk for as far as I could remember. No one but me. 

This was so stupid. I looked down at my wrist again and examined it. Examined my mark. It was nothing dangerous. Nothing pointy, nothing obviously rebellious like a weapon. It was actually quite beautiful, but difficult to describe. I’d say it was a line, which formed five curls, intertwining each other at the sides, with the one in the middle being the biggest curl. I looked at the wall next to me and closed my eyes. I didn’t want to see this. I didn’t want a beautiful mark. I wanted a simple one. I wanted a mark that wouldn’t take me away from life as it was.

“I don’t want to leave you, mama,” I said, looking back up at her with big eyes. I was scared.

“I know sweetie. I know.” She engulfed me in a hug, and I breathed in her scent. I had no idea what this meant for me exactly. All I knew for now was that my arm was still burning and that I was starting to feel a bit dizzy. And I also knew that I would probably be leaving Colkirk much sooner than I had intended to, and that in my departure there would be no wedding bells playing any role like they usually did when a girl left her hometown.

I would have to run. Leave everything I had ever known covered under a blanket of darkness, and never look back.


End file.
